INDIGENOUS RIGHTS
Blanket Exercise Workshop

The Indigenous rights history we've never been taught.

In 1996, the Aboriginal Rights Coalition worked with Indigenous elders and teachers to develop an interactive way of learning the history most Canadians are never taught. The Blanket Exercise was the result; it has since been offered thousands of times and the fourth edition was released in 2016.

How it works

The Blanket Exercise is based on participatory popular education methodology and the goal is to build understanding about our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada by walking through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance. Everyone is actively involved as they step onto blankets that represent the land, and into the role of First Nations, Inuit and later Métis peoples. By engaging on an emotional and intellectual level, the Blanket Exercise effectively educates and increases empathy.

Where and how

The Blanket Exercise itself takes about an hour and should always be followed by a talking circle which often requires at least another hour. With youth, ninety minutes for both the Blanket Exercise and debrief is sometimes feasible.

Please note, we require that people undergo facilitator training before accessing the scripts. In addition, if you are non-Indigenous, please ensure you are working in partnership with Indigenous facilitators and Elders when using this teaching tool.

Want to know more?

As demand for KAIROS’ most popular teaching tool continues to grow, we are expanding our capacity to deliver the exercise in a good and safe way that ensures facilitators are well-trained and supported, Elders are properly compensated, and training is standardized. As part of this expansion initiative, we are implementing changes to the KAIROS Blanket Exercise website.

OTTAWA OFFICE

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives acknowledges that the Toronto office is on the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, Seneca and Mississaugas of the New Credit Indigenous Peoples. The Ottawa office is on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Peoples.